community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Running Water, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 50% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Running Water?
- First forage: Mar 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Running Water, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on May 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Soybeans: about 181 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 319 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Running Water
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Floodplain Herbaceous; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.16 mi S.
How Running Water ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 61st | 78th | 66th |
| South Dakota | 50th | 97th | 46th | 20th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 58th | 98th | 47th | 24th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 60% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Running Water: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Springfield 7 mi · Bon Homme Colony 15 mi · Tyndall 16 mi · Avon 16 mi · Tabor 20 mi · Dante 21 mi
All towns in South Dakota · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Running Water (42.7822, -97.9817); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.